by MISSY HARPER
“You heard her, Hawkins. Get your hands off her!” Bart growled from near by but didn’t advance on him. “Rylee hasn’t done anything to cause you or anyone else to speak to her like that.” Bart warned.
“Don’t even try to pull that shit with me!” Ethan sneered as he released Rylee and turned to face the man he wanted to see die a slow and painful death. “I saw you two at the truck stop, and I saw ya with your hands all over her here, too! She ain’t no fuckin buckle bunny, Kyle, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna stand by and let you treat her like one!” Ethan yelled as he inched closer to the man he now hated. Those kisses should have been his!
“His hands were not all over me!” Rylee said, stepping between the two men, hoping at least one of them would have the sense not to throw a punch with a lady standing between them.
“Said the woman with the swollen lips!” Ethan growled back at her. His eyes were furious and… was that hurt she saw in them? Then his words sank in, and it didn’t really matter if it was hurt she saw in his eyes, because the only thing her eyes were seeing was red!
“Oh, so now I’m a woman?” Rylee’s voice shook with her own fury. Ethan took one look at her face and knew he’d made a grave error, but instead of backing down and admitting defeat, he held his ground. Mine, was the only word the voice in his head screamed.
“Was that the plan, Rylee? Were ya just stoppin off to pick up your jeep?” Ethan began a slow stalk toward her. “Were ya planning to follow him out to his place so he could make a woman out of ya? Was that it, Rylee?” He yelled as he stepped closer to her, terrified that it was the truth.
“Yeah, that’s right, Ethan. I was plannin to give him anything he wanted and everything you had no need for tonight!” She shot back in true Rylee fashion, taking a step toward him and raising her delicate chin as if she could take any punch the world had to offer.
“Get… in the jeep!” He growled through clenched teeth as he glared at her. He had quite possibly never been so angry or terrified in all his life.
“The lady said she was comin home with me.” Bart said as he placed his hand on Rylee’s waist. Ethan turned his angry eyes on the man and if looks could kill, Ethan would be doing twenty-five to life.
“Take your hands off of her… now.” Ethan said in a steely quiet voice. “And don’t ever touch her again.”
“Look, I know you’re used to gettin what cha want where women are concerned, and I’ll admit, I was pretty darn shocked when ya turned her down earlier tonight, but I understand, man. An innocent woman ain’t for every man. It’s a big responsibility, and I can tell she’s important to ya, so I’ll assure you I’ll be good to her, Ethan.” Ethan took a step and prepared to rip the man limb from limb. He’d have a hard time bein good to her if he had no arms!
“Not gonna happen, Kyle!” Ethan went for the man, but Rylee stopped him when she stepped back between them and pressed her hands into his chest.
“Ethan! Don’t!” She demanded. Ethan continued to stare at the man for a long while, unwilling to endanger Rylee. His nostrils flared with each breath, and he looked as angry as every bull she’d ever seen him ride. When his eyes moved back to her she knew she was in trouble.
“Rylee… Get. In. The. Jeep. Now.” She may have been called saucy and sassy, and definitely a bitch a time or two, but never had she been called stupid. Ethan was furious, stressed and hurt. It was in her best interest to save her sharp tongue for later, and boy did she have a few things to tell him!
“Bart, I’ll call you later to discuss earlier tonight. Thanks for a wonderful evening.” Her words had a sharp tone to them, and when she looked back over her shoulder at him, he knew she’d caught his comments about knowing Ethan had turned her down. That was not something she’d told him this evening during their conversation. He watched her walking to her jeep and wondering if he’s ever get that date she’d agreed to or not.
Ethan climbed into the drivers seat and started her jeep. He threw it into gear and peeled out of the parking lot. His angry profile told her to use caution.
“Ethan…”
“Not a word, Rylee! Not a damn word!” He glared at her from behind the wheel before he turned his eyes back to the road. “I’m takin you home, and if you open your mouth, I will personally see to it you can’t sit down for the next six months. Do you understand me?” He threatened in a cold, quiet voice that sent shivers down her spine.
Yep, she’d made the right call earlier about saving her sharp tongue for later. Ethan was at the edge of his control, and one wrong word would send him over. Granted, it was an edge he had no right to go over, and that would be discussed, but not when he was like this, and certainly not when there were no witnesses.
The jeep slid to a stop in front of the Van der Brook house. Ethan pulled Rylee out through the driver’s side door. He all but threw her up onto the back porch and shoved her through the back door. Thor’s head popped up from the newspaper he was finally getting to read, and he saw Ethan baring down on Rylee as if he were a lion stalking his prey. His eyes were dark, his steps measured and his nostrils flaring. Thor had never seen the man so furious! However, it was no surprise his little hell cat was in the path of this particular storm.
“Bart. Kyle.” Ethan said in that cold, quiet tone. Rylee took a step back then noticed her father siting at the table staring at the two of them over the tops of his reading glasses. Drawing confidence and comfort from her father’s presence, her feet stopped moving.
“What’s your problem with, Bart?” She asked as she defiantly narrowed her eyes at him, feeling a little more secure now that there were witnesses in the room.
“What’s my… he’s older than I am, Rylee!” He yelled at her as her father sat nonchalantly shifting his eyes back and forth between them as if he were watching a tennis match. “Not to mention he treats women like whores! You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into, Rylee! He’s a perfect example of what I’ve been talking about. You’re gonna get yourself into way more than you can handle with that guy!”
“News Flash, Ethan! You’re only five years older than me. There’s nothing wrong with me seeing Bart Kyle!” She insisted. “And I hardly think you have any room to talk where women are concerned, man whore!”
Ethan closed the distance and was on her before she even had a chance to think about running. He grabbed her arms and shoved her back against the stove. His nostrils flared as he glared down at her. Her words had landed on a sore spot, one that was getting sorer by the minute.
Tanner and Rory walked through the back door and Thor reached out a hand to stop Tanner when he made a move for Ethan. Oliver, having heard all the yelling was coming down the stairs and Regina, Rylee’s mother, had stepped into the kitchen from the down stairs bedroom.
“From what I saw there was plenty wrong with it!” Ethan hissed through clenched teeth. Trying hard to move forward and ignore her last comment and how it made him feel about himself. It hurt like hell to acknowledge he’d become just what she’d called him. “That cowboy had his hands all over you!”
“He did not!” Rylee argued back as she continued to glare at him and fight against him.
“I was there, damn it! Don’t you even try to lie to me, Rylee!” He yelled at her as he gave her a good shake.
“What’s your problem!” She yelled at him yanking her arms free. “It was just a kiss!”
“Just a kiss? He had his tongue so far in your mouth even I felt it!” Ethan’s voice raised a few octaves. “And don’t you mean two kisses, Rylee?”
“And?” She yelled in his face. “I’m a grown woman, Ethan. I can kiss anybody I want, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it, cowboy!”
“Like hell there isn’t!” He grabbed her arms again and squeezed his hands tighter.
“No, there isn’t! You had your chance, Ethan, and you made it perfectly clear tonight you had no interest in spending any quality time with me.” She spat out at him, years of loving and losing bubbled
to the surface. She swug her arms, striking him any place she could. “I’ll kiss whom ever I damn well please! And if I decide to drop to my knees in front of them, I’ll do that too, along with anything else I choose to do! It’s my choice…. I gave you my whole life, Ethan, and you threw it in my face!” Rylee screamed at him as she kicked out at his shin, wanting more than anything to hurt him at that moment. Her intense anger was the only thing holding the tears at bay.
“I’ll do whatever I want, with whomever I want and I don’t give a damn if you hate the idea or if you want to fuckin watch!” Ethan’s breathing increased as he struggled to pull her up against him. He lowered his face toward her in a threatening manner. She had no clue what she was saying.
“That’s big talk, Runt, but he’s no kid! He’s a grown man! He’s gonna want a hell of a lot more out of this hot little body than just a couple of kisses, damn it! He’s gonna expect you to get on your knees, and he’ll have you tied to his bed, too. I can also promise you you’ll be lucky if he only lets someone watch! Why the hell do ya think he told me he’d treat you good, Rylee! I know Bart Kyle! He’s no good and gonna destroy you!”
“I fail to see where the problem is and what business it is of yours, Ethan?” She sneered back at him. The things he was saying were scaring the crap out of her, but she was so angry and hurt she just wanted to hurt him back. First he’d said horrible things about her and his father, then he’d tossed her off like she was something he’d stepped in. Now he was pissed because she had found someone else? However, as soon as her words left her mouth she knew they’d been the wrong words to say to Ethan.
He pinned her body between his own and the stove behind her. She felt every hard inch of him pressed against her and also felt his anger rolling off in waves. His hand came up behind her head and grabbed a handful of her hair near the scalp, holding her head in place when she tried to turn away from him.
“I can tell from the scared look in your eyes, Rylee, that you ain’t no buckle bunny. I’d venture to say you’re damn near as innocent as the day you were born. But before you decide to start actin like a whore, there’s something you need to know.” He moved his head down to just a breath from her face.
“The only damn reason I’ve kept my hands off you is because you ain’t some buckle bunny to be had and tossed aside like an empty beer bottle. So, if you insist on becomin one, make sure you understand… the line starts right behind me, baby!” He hissed in her face.
His mouth came down hard on hers and his kiss was rough and possessive. The hand in her hair pressed her head toward him and forced her lips into his own while his other hand slid down her body to cup her bottom and pull her tightly against him so she could feel just what awaited her.
He took her mouth as if it belonged to him and she was powerless to stop him. He forced his tongue against her lips and she opened for him. He licked and nipped at her as he attempted to wash away any evidence or memory of Bart Fucking Kyle’s kiss. He wanted her to remember how he tasted and only how his mouth felt against hers. He wanted her to never desire another man’s kiss again, because God help him, but he didn’t think he’d ever want another woman’s kiss after tasting Rylee’s.
Everyone in the room stared wide-eyed as he devoured her mouth under his own. He kissed her with ownership and then it changed to tenderness when her hand slid up his back and into his hair. The kiss progressed to a passion that most people only read about. It was a kiss that left every person in the room shocked. When he pulled his lips from hers, he turned her around and pushed her away from him. He leaned over and placed both hands on the edge of the stove. He took in a few deep, cleansing breaths, as Rylee stood panting behind him, shocked by what had just happened. Rylee narrowed her eyes at him and took a deep breath herself, except hers wasn’t for cleansing.
“I sure hope you enjoyed that because…”
“Shut your mouth and get your ass up those stairs, Rylee.” He commanded as he turned to face her and pointed toward the staircase. His eyes were the darkest blue she’d ever seen. They looked like blue-black pools of anger and desire mixed together. Rylee took an instinctive step away from him as her heart began to pound even harder in her chest.
“Right now, Rylee! Get up those stairs, and lock your damn door before I change my mind!” He warned, just as he made eye contact with Oliver, who still stood on the stairs, appearing a bit impressed, but not all that surprised.
Rylee walked backwards for a few steps before turning for the stairs. Oliver offered a protective and securing hand on her back as she passed him on her way up the stairs. He understood how his little sister must be feeling, but he completely understood where Ethan was coming from, also. It was damn near impossible for a man to back down once he was as far gone as Ethan was at the moment.
“Rylee!” Ethan yelled after her. She stopped and turned her head to look back at him from the top of the stairs.
“Don’t forget what I told you, Rylee.” Ethan said staring at the floor, feet spread wide, clenching his hands into fists. He raised his eyes and met hers before he spoke again. “I‘ve got a hell of a lot more to offer than what you sampled tonight.” He narrowed his eyes at her. “Don’t even let me hear a rumor, Rylee. If I even think you’re actin like anything less than a lady, I’ll be back to teach you everything you’ll need to know about bein a Buckle Bunny.”
Rylee glared at him, turned on her heels, stomped to her room and slammed the door. Ethan turned back to the stove and placed his hands on the edge again letting his head fall between his outstretched arms. Damn it! Would it ever stop with this girl? She’d tasted sweeter than he’d ever dreamed any woman could taste. He’d damn near stripped her down and made sweet love to her in front of her entire family, and that wasn’t something he did… especially not the making love part!
“Well, I got to give it to ya. You got yourself one interesting way of apologizing to a lady.” Rory teased him from where he leaned next to the back door. He’d seen Ethan with lots of women, but he’d never seen him kiss one like that! It was obvious things were changing for him. Ethan pushed off the stove and strode toward the back door.
“All of you might be willin to let the Bart Kyle’s of this world have her, but I’m damn sure not.” He sneered as he pushed past Tanner. Tanner reached out and grabbed his arm.
“Don’t cha think you were a little rough on her?” Tanner quietly asked with narrowed eyes. He wasn’t sure exactly what was going on with his friend, but he’d never seen him kiss any woman the way he’d kissed Rylee. Not to mention the shocked look that kiss left on his best friend’s face.
“We’ve all had our share of buckle bunnies, Tanner. You know how they get treated. Can you imagine her face the first time some cowboy rolls off her and walks away like she doesn’t matter! She does matter, damn it! I won’t have that for her!” He looked toward a shocked Rory and then stared into Tanner’s icy blue eyes.
“I’ve partied with Bart Kyle before, and no, I wasn’t hard enough on her.”
The screen door slammed behind him and Tanner looked to Rory for conformation on what Ethan had just said about the bunnies and Bart. Rory shook his head and looked down at the floor when he saw his mother watching them. “I don’t know much about Bart Kyle, but he’s right about the bunnies. That’s not the life Rylee needs to be involved in.”
“Would you really do what you told her in there?” Thor asked Ethan’s back as he leaned on the corral fence looking out into the darkness. Ethan turned to look at the man who had been like a father to him his whole life.
“You ever known me to say something I didn’t mean?” Ethan answered, turning back to stare into the darkness, still trying to make sense of what was happening to him.
“You’d do that to her?” Thor’s astonishment showed as he voiced his question. “You’d treat her like a whore?
“I’d take her hard, fast and as cold as I could, Thor.” He hung his head and sighed heavily. “Hell, I’d do just about anything to make he
r see that damn sure ain’t the life she wants. She’ll hate me, but at least she won’t get hurt… physically anyway.” He sounded as if he dreaded the day it might happen.
“So you’re hopin if you can get your hands on her first she’ll hate what happens enough to never try it again with another rough and rowdy cowboy. Just find a good ole boy and settle down… have a mess a kids.” Ethan shook his head yes, but his heart clenched at the thought of Rylee settling down with anyone… having her belly round with another man’s child.
“Something like that.” Ethan answered as he looked up at the stars.
“I been thinkin about the way I’ve treated most of the women in my life and…” Ethan shook his head then looked at Rylee’s father. “I can’t stand the thought of her being passed around, Thor. It’ll break her spirit.” Thor shook his head in agreement. “I can’t accept that for my Runt. She deserves better… she’s worth way more than that.”
“You’ll get no argument from me on that one.” Thor allowed the silence to sooth them for a bit before he continued.
“I just got two things to say on this matter, son. First, I don’t necessarily disagree with your plan. I don’t like it, but I get it. However, she’s still my daughter, Ethan. I feel I have to tell ya that if you decide to put your hands on her, for whatever reason, you’d better be willing to follow it up with a ring.” Thor informed him in his best Father talking to the boyfriend voice. “I understand what you’re trying to save her from, but I’m still her father. Don’t forget that, Ethan.”
“I’ll give her a ring right now. One right around her neck!” Ethan mumbled. Thor laughed and leaned against the fence.
“I don’t call her a hell cat for nothin. She can be a handful.” Thor mused and then sobered.
